Acts Pt. 56

1. Acts ends abruptly, showing it’s ultimately a story about the work of the Holy Spirit not just a biography of Paul. How does shifting our focus from "great Christian personalities" to the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit at work through the Word of God change the way we view our own and our local church’s ministry and role?

2. Read Philemon 8-10, 17-18 and Phil. 1:12-23. How does Paul continue to impact the world for the gospel while in prison in Rome? What does this teach us about suffering and the work of/for God’s kingdom?

3. We know God's Word sometimes brings a painful diagnosis of sin, wounding in order to heal, and that we can’t skip the hard parts of the message. How can we balance speaking hard biblical truths (like the reality of sin and judgment) with genuine Christian love and Christ-like grace?